"Mostly via adhesive protein fibers between cells - and some collagen. Presumably there's pathways of least resistance for your electricity, right, so it's arcing in a consistent pattern - but how are you generating those?"

Her, nerd sniped? Always.

"Ha! Good answer." The cat nudges the tiger. "In my case, through judicious- which is to say, copious- application of magic."

Nudge back. "It's even a right answer! And we're absolutely, one hundred percent, made of biologically and probably physically impossible bullshit." She flickers into a smoke and flame tiger briefly.

"Cool. What's the basic function of your magic?"

"Making us look like this, as you see. Everything else follows from the basic form."

"-So, what did you look like before?"

The tiger wiggles a bit, laughing, and -

Turns into a very familiar human girl with a dramatic curl of embers and smoke.

The cat transforms similarly.

"A cookie to you for asking the question."

"What the fuck?"

" - This has fascinating implications for determinism given that meeting two people with our faces is insanely statistically improbable - I guess unless dad has interdimensional bastards somehow, though a chance meeting's still massively unlikely - "

Giggle.

"She is a nerd. What're your names?"

"Bellona and Elizabeth Elric." She gestures to herself then her sister. "What about you guys?"

"I'm Ellie." she cocks her head to the side. "And this is my girlfriend, Burning Ruby Tiger Decima."

"Or just Ruby," she says, laughing. "The full title's reserved for formal occasions."

" - Girlfriend?"

"Meeting a new you is a formal occasion."

"Um, what?"

"Are you not-?"

"She's my sister."

"Ah, the other explanation for the name."

She flinches a bit.

The El(lie)s hug their respective cat-adjacent person.

Bellona leans into El pretty heavily, squeezing her hand.

Ruby snuggles her girlfriend.

" - Sorry about the awkwardness."

"Not your fault. I think."